Effect of Chopped ZrO(2) Fiber Content on the Microstructure and Properties of CaO-Based Integral Ceramic Mold

A chopped ZrO(2) fiber (ZrO(2) ((f))) reinforced CaO-based integral ceramic mold was successfully fabricated by stereolithography (SLA) and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA)-based gel-casting, and the effect of chopped ZrO(2) ((f)) content on properties of the ceramic mold was investigated. The results show that the ZrO(2) ((f)) content had a significant effect on the viscosity of CaO-based ceramic slurry, which directly affects the filling ability of slurry in complex structures of the integral mold. The tiny structures of the ceramic mold cannot be filled completely with a ZrO(2) ((f)) content exceeding 3 vol %. The sample fabricated with 3 vol % fiber content showed a harmonious microstructure and exhibited an excellent comprehensive performance with 25 °C bending strength of 22.88 MPa, an 1200 °C bending strength of 15.74 MPa, a 1200 °C deflection of 0.86 mm, and a sintering shrinkage of 0.40%, which can meet the requirements of casting very well.